EVALUATION OF VITAMIN D STATUS IN A POPULATION OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN FROM NORTHERN ITALY AT OSTEOPOROTIC RISK

We studied the vitamin D status in a selected population that was already at osteoporotic risk, in order to evaluate the prevalence of “non optimal” vitamin D levels and to better identify women will have to resort to supplementation in “early” postmenopause. The study was carried out on 181 postmenopausal women from Emilia-Romagna region. Levels of Vit D found in our sample population, if compared with actual literature’s suggestion, were: 22% optimal (above 30 ng/ml), 33% insufficient (between 20 and 29 ng/ml) and 45% deficiency (below 20 ng/ml). We found astatistically significant correlation between 25(OH)D levels, months since menopause and age (r = -0,251; p=0,001 and r= -0,187; p=0,012 respectively). Data obtained showed that in a selected population ,at high skeletal risk, the insufficiency or deficiency of Vit D can be found in the majority of cases, even in early postmenopausal women aged 60 yr or below.